Eric Holder recognizes Michigan gay marriages

The federal government will recognize same-sex marriages that were performed in Michigan in the time between two court rulings that legalized, then suspended, same-sex marriage in the state, Attorney General Eric Holder announced Friday.

A judge last week overturned the state’s same-sex marriage ban, but an appellate court Saturday stayed the ruling as it weighed the decision. Some couples were married in the interim, and their legal status is murky. The governor has said the state will not recognize the marriages until the stay is lifted.

Text Size

“I have determined that the same-sex marriages performed last Saturday in Michigan will be recognized by the federal government,” Holder said. “These families will be eligible for all relevant federal benefits on the same terms as other same-sex marriages. The governor of Michigan has made clear that the marriages that took place on Saturday were lawful and valid when entered into, although Michigan will not extend state rights and benefits tied to these marriages pending further legal proceedings.”

Holder referenced the similar decision he made regarding same-sex couples in Utah in January, when more than 1,000 marriages were performed between two court decisions on the state’s ban. He also cited the Supreme Court’s decision last year, striking down the Defense of Marriage Act.

“These Michigan couples will not be asked to wait for further resolution in the courts before they may seek federal benefits to which they are entitled,” Holder said. “Last June’s decision by the Supreme Court in United States v. Windsor was a victory for equal protection under the law and a historic step toward equality for all American families. The Department of Justice continues to work with its federal partners to implement this decision across the government.”